Licorice Cottage

Licorice Cottage is a high-set, black and white church-style cottage on Blue Waters Crescent on Macleay Island, looking across the bay to North Stradbroke, Peel and Lamb islands. It sleeps up to four across a main bedroom and an open loft, with a spa bath, a fireplace and a treetop deck, and it is one of the few stays on the island that welcomes dogs outright rather than case by case.

Dogs at the Licorice Cottage

Dogs are welcome, with booking listings and BringFido capping it at two dogs of any size and no separate pet fee listed. The garden is fully fenced, so your dog has a secure space to potter while you sit on the deck, and dogs are permitted in the open-plan living areas as well. Keep them off the bedding and furniture given the styled interior, and bring your own bowls, bedding and food, as pet supplies are not guaranteed to be on hand. One caveat worth knowing: the policy details come from third-party listings rather than an owner-run site, so confirm the dog limit, any fee and the fence height for an escape-prone dog when you book.

Pepsi: A fenced yard with a bay view is worth the ferry trip alone. Bring a decent stick from home, because there is not much to fetch with on a treetop deck.

The vibe

This is a couples-style retreat: indoor spa, fireplace, high timber ceilings and a deck built for the view. Guests consistently mention the attention to detail and the quiet. It suits a couple or a small family after a slow island stay with a dog in tow, not a party house, and the relaxed atmosphere is exactly what most guests book it for.

Getting there and parking

Allow about 45 minutes from Brisbane including the crossing. Bring the car across on the Bay Islands Transit vehicle ferry from Redland Bay Marina, or take the SeaLink passenger ferry with your dog leashed or crated. The cottage has its own parking, and the island roads are quiet enough for an easy arrival.

Close by with the dogs

Coastal bushwalks and quiet roads make easy on-lead walking straight from the door. For an off-leash run, Macleay Island Dog Park sits on the Attunga Street foreshore a short drive away. More dog-friendly stays in Queensland and the rest of Macleay Island are listed on site.